Looking Backward While Moving Forward: Rays trounce Padres for the second day straight, 15-1

The Tampa Bay Rays have scored 33 runs over 3 games — one shy of the club record over a three-game span (34, August 2008). (Photo Credit: Tampa Bay Rays)

Batting practice ended at 5:20 Tuesday afternoon, however, no one informed the Tampa Bay Rays, who punished Edwin Jackson and the San Diego Padres for 10 extra base hits, including five home runs. When all was said and done, Tampa Bay pummeled San Diego, 15-1. The Rays have now scored 35 runs over the last three games (a franchise record for a three-game stretch) and have won three in a row.

Tampa Bay began the onslaught in the second inning against former Ray Edwin Jackson, when Luke Maile ripped a bases-loaded double down the left field line, clearing the bases for a three-run advantage.

They continued to pile on the runs in the third inning, scoring four times off the hurler that notoriously threw a 2010 no-hitter against the Rays at the Trop. Evan Longoria started the frame with a triple to right (his 60th extra base hit this year). After Brad Miller went down swinging, Matt Duffy reached on an infield hit. Logan Morrison, who’s been on fire since returning from the DL on Monday, doubled into the right-field corner, plating a pair of runs.

And though Steven Souza Jr. flew out to center for the first out of the frame, Corey Dickerson extended the inning by working a seven pitch walk, bringing Maile to the plate. Maile — who entered the game with five RBI in 19 games, and ended the night with nine on the season — and Nick Franklin went back-to-back with singles, capping the rally.

The Rays continued to shellack San Diego in the fourth when Miller hit a massive 446 foot homer off the batter’s eye in center for an 8-1 lead.

Franklin and Miller also combined for a pair two-run homers in the fifth inning off Carlos Villanueva to put the good guys up by 11. Franklin delivered three RBI after being penciled into the leadoff spot as a pregame substitution for Logan Forsythe, who was pinched due to back spasms. He’s also now hitting .250 BA/.313 OBP/.500 SLG/.813 OPS/.336 wOBA/.250 ISO over the second half of the season, with seven runs and 11 RBI.

In the sixth inning, Corey Dickerson homered to give the Rays a 12-run advantage, and Evan Longoria notched his 27th homer this season in the seventh, capping the scoring.

Longoria finished the night a double shy of the cycle, and matched Carl Crawford’s franchise record for games played (1,235).

15 runs and 10 extra base hits later, it only took the Padres eight innings to put the Rays down in order — San Diego’s only 1-2-3 inning of the night.

The New What Next

The Rays will go for the sweep Wednesday afternoon when Chris Archer (6-16, 4.39 ERA) takes the mound opposite of Christian Friedrich (4-8, 4.84 ERA). Archer leads the majors in losses, including a five run/six inning outing against the Yankees last Friday. This will be his first start against the Padres. Friedrich signed with San Diego in March after being released by Colorado. He’s allowed 132 baserunners in 87-1/3 innings. You can read about the pitching matchup in our series preview.

Rays 8/17/16 Starting Lineup

Noteworthiness

— Matt Duffy precautionarily left the game after the third inning with mild left achilles soreness. The newest Ray told reporters after the game that whether he plays in the series finale will be a game-time decision.

— Update: As expected, neither Logan Forsythe nor Matt Duffy are in today’s lineup. Forsythe said the pain in his back is manageable but his rotation/mobility limited. He doesn’t expect to be available today, and aims to return Friday. As for Duffy, he said his Achilles is “sore” as expected after playing five straight games, but he is “not concerned.” The shortstop thinks it is part of healing process.

— Alex Cobb and Chase Whitley update. Both hurlers took the mound Tuesday night in Durham and Port Charlotte (respectively). Cobb posted a four inning no decision with the Bulls, allowing three runs on two hits and three walks, on 76 pitches (46 strikes), while striking out five. With the Stone Crabs, Whitley scattered four hits (three infield singles) over six innings and 92 pitches (67 strikes), fanning six.

— If the breaks don’t break you, and the takes don’t take you… The Rays enter Thursday’s ballgame with a 60 – 58 BaseRuns record, a 57 – 61 Pythagorean Expectation, and a .289 BABIP (which is just over MLB average). The thought that if a few more balls dropped in here or there, or if the team wasn’t decimated by early injuries, we’d have a contending ball club is rather maddening. Talk about bad luck.